Grand piano action

Abstract

A piano action ( 10 ) includes a wippen ( 14 ) having a wippen body ( 24 ). The wippen body ( 24 ) is pivotally mountable on a first rail ( 20 ) of a piano. A repetition lever ( 38 ) is pivotally mounted on the wippen body ( 24 ). A jack ( 46 ) is also pivotally mounted on the wippen body ( 24 ). A repetition lever spring ( 48 ) is interposed between the repetition lever ( 38 ) and the wippen body ( 24 ) and is pivotally mounted to the repetition lever ( 38 ). The repetition lever spring ( 48 ) has a first limb ( 54 ) which acts on the jack ( 46 ) for restoring the jack ( 46 ) to its rest position and a second limb ( 52 ) which acts on the repetition lever ( 38 ) for restoring the repetition lever ( 38 ) to its rest position. The second limb ( 52 ) is shorter than the first limb ( 54 ) such that a free end of the second limb ( 52 ) is out of engagement with the repetition lever ( 38 ) and is shaped and dimensioned to move together with the repetition lever ( 38 ). The first limb ( 54 ), when the wippen ( 14 ) is in its rest position, in use is substantially rectilinear along its length.

1. A piano action which includes
 a wippen having a wippen body, the wippen body being pivotally mountable via a first end of the wippen body on a first rail of a piano, the wippen including a wippen flange for mounting the wippen relative to the first rail and the wippen body including a first pivot point for pivotally mounting it to the wippen flange;  
 a repetition lever pivotally mounted on the wippen body;  
 a jack pivotally mounted on the wippen body;  
 a boss arranged on the wippen body, the boss defining a second pivot point on which the repetition lever is pivotally mounted with the pivot point between the jack and the wippen body being a third pivot point, the arrangement of the pivot points being such that the first pivot point and the third pivot point are aligned along a line; and  
 a repetition lever spring interposed between the repetition lever and the wippen body and pivotally mounted to the repetition lever, the repetition lever spring having a first limb which acts on the jack for restoring the jack to its rest position and a second limb which acts on the repetition lever for restoring the repetition lever to its rest position, the second limb being shorter than the first limb such that a free end of the second limb is out of engagement with the repetition lever and being shaped and dimensioned to move together with the repetition lever, and the first limb, when the wippen is in its rest position, in use, being substantially rectilinear along its length.  
 
   
   
     2. The piano action of  claim 1  which includes a hammer shank assembly, the hammer shank assembly including a hammer shank pivotally mountable via a hammer flange to a second rail of the piano, a pivot point mounting the hammer shank to the hammer flange being a fourth pivot point. 
   
   
     3. The piano action of  claim 1  in which the jack includes a jack tender having a radiussed free end, a crown of the free end lying substantially on the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use. 
   
   
     4. The piano action of  claim 1  in which the jack includes a jack tender having a radiussed free end, a crown of the free end lying above the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use, and moving below the line when the piano action is in its check position. 
   
   
     5. The piano action of  claim 4  in which the hammer shank carries a knuckle which is engaged by the jack, a surface of the knuckle engaged by the jack lying below the first line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use, and lying above the line when the piano action is in its check position. 
   
   
     6. The piano action of  claim 3  in which a hammer is mounted proximate one end of the hammer shank and the fourth pivot point is arranged proximate an opposed end of the shank and pivotally mounts the shank on the hammer flange, the hammer flange, in use being secured to the second rail of the piano. 
   
   
     7. The piano action of  claim 6  in which a receiving means is defined in the hammer flange, on a hammer side of the pivot point and adjacent the pivot point, for receiving an adjustment means. 
   
   
     8. The piano action of  claim 7  in which the receiving means is a bore which receives the adjustment means in the form of an adjustment screw. 
   
   
     9. The piano action of  claim 8  in which the hammer shank assembly includes a mounting means for mounting the knuckle, the mounting means being arranged at a distance of greater than 17 mm towards the hammer from the fourth pivot point. 
   
   
     10. The piano action of  claim 3  in which the jack includes a jack body which is pivotally mountable relative to the wippen body, the jack tender extending at an angle relative to the jack body and the radiussed portion at the free end of the jack tender having a radius of at least 10 mm. 
   
   
     11. The piano action of  claim 10  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range from about 10 mm to 15 mm. 
   
   
     12. The piano action of  claim 11  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range of about 12 mm to 14 mm. 
   
   
     13. The piano action of  claim 12  in which the radiussed portion has a radius of approximately 13.6 mm. 
   
   
     14. The piano action of  claim 10  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in a range of about 10 mm to 35 mm. 
   
   
     15. The piano action of  claim 14  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range of about 25 mm to 30 mm. 
   
   
     16. The piano action of  claim 15  in which the radiussed portion has a radius of about 30 mm. 
   
   
     17. The piano action of  claim 10  in which an included angle between the jack body and the jack tender is an obtuse angle. 
   
   
     18. A piano action which includes:
 a wippen having a wippen body, the wippen body being pivotally mountable proximate a first end of the wippen body on a first rail of a piano;  
 a repetition lever pivotally mounted on the wippen body;  
 the jack pivotally mounted relative to the wippen body, the jack having a jack body which is pivotally mountable relative to a wippen body via a pivot point, a jack tender extending at an angle relative to the jack body, and a radiussed portion at a free end of the jack tender, the radiussed portion having a radius of at least 10 mm; and  
 a repetition lever spring interposed between the repetition lever and the wippen body and pivotally mounted to the repetition lever, the repetition lever spring having a first limb which acts on the jack for restoring the jack to its rest position and a second limb which acts on the repetition lever for restoring the repetition lever to its rest position, the second limb being shorter than the first limb such that a free end of the second limb is out of engagement with the repetition lever and being shaped and dimensioned to move together with the repetition lever and the first limb, when the wippen is in its rest position, in use, being substantially rectilinear along its length.  
 
   
   
     19. The piano action of  claim 18  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range from about 10 mm to 15 mm. 
   
   
     20. The piano action of  claim 19  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range of about 12 mm to 14 mm. 
   
   
     21. The piano action of  claim 20  in which the radiussed portion has a radius of approximately 13.6 mm. 
   
   
     22. The piano action of  claim 18  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in a range of about 10 mm to 35 mm. 
   
   
     23. The piano action of  claim 22  in which the radiussed portion has a radius lying in the range of about 25 mm to 30 mm. 
   
   
     24. The piano action of  claim 23  in which the radiussed portion has a radius of about 30 mm. 
   
   
     25. The piano action of  claim 18  in which an included angle between the jack body and the jack tender is an obtuse angle. 
   
   
     26. The piano action of  claim 18  in which the wippen includes a wippen flange for mounting the wippen relative to the first rail. 
   
   
     27. The piano action of  claim 26  in which the wippen body includes a first pivot point for pivotally mounting it to the wippen flange. 
   
   
     28. The piano action of  claim 27  in which a boss is arranged on the wippen body, the boss defining a second pivot point on which the repetition lever is pivotally mounted with the pivot point between the jack and the wippen body being a third pivot point. 
   
   
     29. The piano action of  claim 28  which includes a hammer shank assembly, the hammer shank assembly including a hammer shank pivotally mountable via a hammer flange to a second rail of the piano, a pivot point mounting the hammer shank to the hammer flange being a fourth pivot point. 
   
   
     30. The piano action of  claim 29  in which the arrangement of the pivot points is such that the first pivot point and the third pivot point are substantially aligned along a line. 
   
   
     31. The piano action of  claim 30  in which a crown of the radiussed free end of the jack tender lies substantially on the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use. 
   
   
     32. The piano action of  claim 30  in which a crown of the radiussed free end of the jack tender lies above the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use, and moving below the line when the piano action is in its check position. 
   
   
     33. The piano action of  claim 30  in which the hammer shank carries a knuckle which is engaged by the jack, a surface of the knuckle engaged by the jack lying below the first line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use, and lying above the line when the piano action is in its check position. 
   
   
     34. A piano action which includes:
 a wippen having a wippen body, the wippen body being pivotally mountable proximate a first end of the wippen body on a first rail of a piano;  
 a repetition lever pivotally mounted on the wippen body;  
 a jack pivotally mounted relative to the wippen body; and  
 a repetition lever spring interposed between the repetition lever and the wippen body and pivotally mounted to the repetition lever, the repetition lever spring having a first limb which acts on the jack for restoring the jack to its rest position and a second limb which acts on the repetition lever for restoring the repetition lever to its rest position, the second limb being shorter than the first limb such that a free end of the second limb is out of engagement with the repetition lever and being shaped and dimensioned to move together with the repetition lever and the first limb, when the wippen is in its rest position, in use, being substantially rectilinear along its length;  
 a hammer shank assembly including a hammer shank;  
 a hammer mounted proximate one end of the shank;  
 a pivot point arranged proximate an opposed end of the shank which pivotally mounts the shank on a hammer flange, the hammer flange being mountable on a second rail of the piano; and  
 a receiving means defined in the hammer flange, on a hammer side of the pivot point and adjacent the pivot point, for receiving an adjustment means.  
 
   
   
     35. The piano action of  claim 34  in which the receiving means is a bore which receives the adjustment means in the form of an adjustment screw. 
   
   
     36. The piano action of  claim 34  in which the hammer shank assembly includes a knuckle and a mounting means for mounting the knuckle, the mounting means being arranged at a distance of greater than 17 mm towards the hammer from the pivot point. 
   
   
     37. The piano action of  claim 34  in which the wippen includes a wippen flange for mounting the wippen relative to the first rail. 
   
   
     38. The piano action of  claim 37  in which the wippen body includes a first pivot point for pivotally mounting it to the wippen flange. 
   
   
     39. The piano action of  claim 38  in which a boss is arranged on the wippen body, the boss defining a second pivot point on which the repetition lever is pivotally mounted with the pivot point between the jack and the wippen body being a third pivot point. 
   
   
     40. The piano action of  claim 39  in which the pivot point mounting the hammer shank to the hammer flange is a fourth pivot point. 
   
   
     41. The piano action of  claim 40  in which the arrangement of the pivot points is such that the first pivot point and the third pivot point are substantially aligned along a line. 
   
   
     42. The piano action of  claim 41  in which the jack includes a jack tender having a radiussed free end, a crown of the free end lying substantially on the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use. 
   
   
     43. The piano action of  claim 41  in which the jack includes a jack tender having a radiussed free end, a crown of the free end lying above the line when the piano action is in its rest position, in use, and moving below the line when the piano action is in its check position.